The Steven C. Walske Collection of Special Mail Routes of the American Civil War continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. A MARVELOUS EXHIBITION ITEM, COMPRISING A COVER TO KENTUCKY WITH THE RARE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING AND ITS ORIGINAL DEAD LETTER OFFICE RETURN ENVELOPE.

Glasgow lies about 33 miles east of Bowling Green, which became the Confederate seat of government in Kentucky after the state's declared neutrality was broken in September 1861. This cover was mailed on November 22, before Kentucky was admitted to the Confederate States on December 10, but the Federal mails to this region of Kentucky were suspended.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 19). (Image)

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A FINE AND VERY RARE USE OF THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING ON A LETTER INTENDED TO REACH CONFEDERATE TEXAS VIA THE FEDERAL-OCCUPIED CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

Ex Seacrest and from our 1980 and 1988 Rarities of the World sales. With 1980 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN UNUSUAL USE OF THE RARE "SENT BACK TO ENGLAND" HANDSTAMP ON MAIL ADDRESSED TO LOUISIANA IN THE FALL OF 1862.

This cover was carried on the North German Lloyd Hansa, departing Southampton on October 1, 1862, and arriving in New York on October 13. The sender was apparently under the mistaken belief that the capture of New Orleans by Federal forces in April 1862 meant all of Louisiana was under Federal control. New Iberia was occupied briefly by U.S. forces in April and May 1863 during the Teche Campaign, but at the time this cover was received in New York, there was no Federal mail service to this part of Louisiana. It was handstamped with the second type of "Sent Back to England" marking after sitting in the U.S. Dead Letter Office for eight months.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 8). Ex Murphy (Image)

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VERY FINE AND COLORFUL ATTEMPTED TRANSATLANTIC MAILING TO THE CONFEDERATE CAPITAL THREE YEARS INTO THE WAR. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" OVAL ON A TRANSATLANTIC COVER.

This cover was sent by Wm. Bliss & Co., a textile manufacturer in England, to an addressee identified simply as "Major Tait, late of Genl Longstreet's Staff". Perhaps by coincidence, a supplier of military uniforms to the Confederate government was James A. Tait, who was in Richmond at this time. The cover was carried on the North German Lloyd America, departing from Southampton on May 11 and arriving in New York on May 22. The "Mails Suspended" oval was probably applied at the Washington D.C. U.S. Dead Letter Office, but there is also the possibility that New York City had the device as well.

A large business firm in England in 1864 certainly would have been aware that mail could not reach the Confederate States through normal post office channels. One wonders if this cover was accidentally posted in the mails or addressed directly to Richmond, rather than sent to a forwarder in the Bahamas who could arrange for transmission on a blockade runner.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 10). Ex Gallagher (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" HANDSTAMP ON A COVER WITH A BAHAMAS FRANKING, ADDRESSED TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES, BUT POSTED AFTER THE FALL OF CHARLESTON CLOSED NASSAU'S LAST BLOCKADE-RUNNING CONNECTION.

Charleston fell to Federal forces on February 17, 1865, which prevented any further blockade-running trips through that port. This cover was probably intended to go by a blockade-runner, but once it reached the Bahamas, it was posted in the regular packet mail to New York. It was carried on the Cunarder Corsica, departing from Nassau on March 14 and arriving in New York on March 18. The "Mails Suspended" marking in blue was probably applied in Washington D.C., but it is also possible that New York City had the device.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 10). Ex Simon (Image)

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ONE OF TWO OR THREE KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THIS "MAILS SUSPENDED" STRAIGHTLINE APPLIED AT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

Atlanta was captured by Sherman on September 2, 1864. It is likely that this cover was mailed from Illinois in the belief that the postal service in the city would be maintained under Federal occupation, but delivery was not permitted and the letter was stopped at Nashville.

Ex MacBride and Gallagher (Image)

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